Perspective And Development Challenges Of Ecological Agriculture In The Republic Of Moldova

The sustainability of the agricultural system has become a concern in the Republic of Moldova, a country with one of the highest rates in Europe of the share of agricultural land in total and of the role of the sector in the economy and external trade balance. Although the agricultural sector of the country registered important growth and potential based on the application of green revolution technology, the adverse impact on the environment, erosion of natural resources, and vulnerability to climate represent a challenge that is affecting the country's social and economic development perspectives. Organic agriculture plays an important role in the extension of the application and promotion of sustainable production practices, and the extension of this production scheme is a determinant for the achievement of the sustainable development objectives of the agricultural sector of the country. The study explores factors that are limiting and factors that are facilitating the development of the organic food sector in the Republic of Moldova. Comparative qualitative analyses covering EU and Moldova are summarized into analyses of co-variation between policies, regulations, institutional setup and organic sector development trends, focusing on the determination of the key milestones and driven factors. The authors also used a qualitative approach based on focus group interviews with agriculture producers, mostly focused on organic producers or producers who are evaluating the opportunities to initiate conversion to organic agriculture, to evaluate the factors influencing farmers' willingness and limiting factors from their perspective. This study was developed within the framework of Subprogram 030101 „Strengthening the resilience, competitiveness, and sustainability of the economy of the Republic of Moldova in the context of the accession process to the European Union”, institutional funding.